By Dawn Burleigh

The Orange Leader

 

Gladys Trahan raised three children ‘practically’ by herself, she said.

Her youngest child, Orange County Commissioner Pct. One Johnny Trahan described her as an amazing mom because “sometimes she had to be Dad too!”

She is proud of all three of her children and beamed with pride as she talked about her favorite moments of raising her two sons and one daughter.

“I was so proud to see them walking across the stage at graduation,” Gladys said. “I am proud of each one of them.”

She said it was hard raising three children on her own.

“Especially when they would call me at work,” she said with a laugh. “Johnny did this. Cheryl did this. It was hard working and raising kids.”

There were two moments she recalled as the worse moments. Both involved her youngest child.

“The hardest was when Johnny was in a wreck,” Gladys said. “He was burnt, and they could not give him anything for the pain until I got there. It took four people to hold him down when I got there. I could not just leave work. That was hard, very hard. I had to find someone to take my place so I could leave and be with him.”

Another time also involved another wreck. She described it as another scary moment.

“Neither one was his fault,” Gladys said. “That time, I believe if it was not for the thick cloth of the LCM jacket, he would have lost his arm.”

Gladys believes a mother should always be there for her children.

“When they were in trouble at school, I would see the teacher without telling them,” she said. “You should take up for them, but make sure whose fault before taking sides.”

Gladys added she was blessed to have three “pretty good kids.”

“You need to be there for them,” Gladys said. “Listen to them, and hear their side before making decisions.”

She added she would do it all over again.

“I have wonderful grandkids and great-grandkids,” Gladys. “I would leave some things out, but you have to take the good with the bad.”

Johnny Trahan said, “She has always supported me in everything I’ve done. She never missed one of my sporting events when I was in school.”